Hindustan Times: Chandigarh: Saturday, 29 November 2025.
Industries and power minister Sanjeev Arora said the new legislation modernises the regulatory framework governing societies, especially those engaged in health, education, sports, social welfare and charitable activities.
In a move aimed at
bringing greater transparency and accountability in the societies operating in
the state, the Punjab cabinet on Friday gave its nod to the Societies
Registration (Punjab Amendment) Act, 2025, amending the historic Societies Act
of 1860. Among the major provisions of the Act is bringing all the registered
societies under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
Industries and power minister Sanjeev Arora said the new legislation modernises the regulatory framework governing societies, especially those engaged in health, education, sports, social welfare and charitable activities.
“The amendments bring all societies under a uniform, transparent regime, ensuring responsible use of public funds and tax-exempt resources. According to the new act, all registered societies in Punjab will now be mandatorily covered under the RTI Act, ensuring public scrutiny, transparency in decision-making and greater public trust,” said Arora.
He said the Act also empowers registrars to seek any information or records from societies to ensure compliance with law and prevent misuse of funds or deviation from stated objectives.
Mandatory five-year renewal of societies
Arora said after the Act is passed in the Vidhan Sabha, all societies will be required to renew their registration every five years to ensure active functioning, accurate records, and periodic verification of their objectives and management.
“All existing societies in Punjab must re-register under the amended Act within one year from its enforcement, bringing them under the new compliance and transparency framework,” said Arora.
The minister also disclosed that a name of the society already in use within the same jurisdiction, or a deceptively similar name that may mislead the public, won’t be allowed.
“Few people use names and words such as anti-terror front, government or any other word with an aim to deceive the people. That won’t be allowed under the new act,” said Arora.
The Act also prohibits societies from selling, transferring or disposing of immovable property without the prior approval of the registrar, thus preventing unauthorised transactions and safeguarding public assets.
In another major regulation, the deputy commissioners (DCs), in areas where societies are registered, have been empowered to order inquiries through an officer of the rank of tehsildar in case of complaints.
“If wrongdoing is detected and not corrected within the prescribed time, appoint an SDM-level administrator to take charge and restore proper functioning,” said the minister.
Many charitable institutions avail income tax benefits by registering as societies. The Act ensures such organisations follow strict compliance and accountability norms to continue receiving such exemptions.
Nod to empanel 300 specialist doctors
The cabinet also gave its nod to empanel 300 specialist doctors across 12 key specialties, including medicine, paediatrics, psychiatry, dermatology, chest & TB, surgery, gynecology, orthopedics, ophthalmology, ENT, and anaesthesiology across government health facilities, with an aim to meet the shortage of specialist doctors. The Punjab government has not been able to attract an adequate number of specialists in recruitments done over the past few years. The empanelment of specialists will be done at district-level through civil surgeons and the empanelled specialist shall be entitled to an empanelment fee per patient for various services such as OPD, IPD, emergency calls, major & minor surgeries and procedures and others.
The Act also mandates that if an elected managing committee is dissolved or an administrator is appointed, fresh elections must be conducted within six months, ensuring democratic functioning of societies.
Finance minister Harpal Cheema said private doctors will get ₹100 incentives both in IPD and OPD. However, a cap has been set on the number of patients these specialists can examine -- between 50 and 150 in the OPD, and two to twenty in the IPD, the minister added. Cheema said if a specialist government doctor, who is on night duty, is called at day time, they will get an incentive of ₹1,000. If the doctor is not on duty during night hours, but is called during the period, then the incentive will double.
Nod to frame minor mineral rules
The cabinet also gave approval to Punjab minor minerals rules 2013 in accordance with the Punjab state minor minerals (Amendment) Policy, 2025. These new rules/ modifications were needed to be added/ substituted in the existing Punjab minor minerals rules 2013 for allocation of mining rights to mining lease holders of crusher mining sites and landowner mining sites to be allotted in the state.
Industries and power minister Sanjeev Arora said the new legislation modernises the regulatory framework governing societies, especially those engaged in health, education, sports, social welfare and charitable activities.
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| Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann chairing the cabinet meeting on Friday. (HT Photo) |
Industries and power minister Sanjeev Arora said the new legislation modernises the regulatory framework governing societies, especially those engaged in health, education, sports, social welfare and charitable activities.
“The amendments bring all societies under a uniform, transparent regime, ensuring responsible use of public funds and tax-exempt resources. According to the new act, all registered societies in Punjab will now be mandatorily covered under the RTI Act, ensuring public scrutiny, transparency in decision-making and greater public trust,” said Arora.
He said the Act also empowers registrars to seek any information or records from societies to ensure compliance with law and prevent misuse of funds or deviation from stated objectives.
Mandatory five-year renewal of societies
Arora said after the Act is passed in the Vidhan Sabha, all societies will be required to renew their registration every five years to ensure active functioning, accurate records, and periodic verification of their objectives and management.
“All existing societies in Punjab must re-register under the amended Act within one year from its enforcement, bringing them under the new compliance and transparency framework,” said Arora.
The minister also disclosed that a name of the society already in use within the same jurisdiction, or a deceptively similar name that may mislead the public, won’t be allowed.
“Few people use names and words such as anti-terror front, government or any other word with an aim to deceive the people. That won’t be allowed under the new act,” said Arora.
The Act also prohibits societies from selling, transferring or disposing of immovable property without the prior approval of the registrar, thus preventing unauthorised transactions and safeguarding public assets.
In another major regulation, the deputy commissioners (DCs), in areas where societies are registered, have been empowered to order inquiries through an officer of the rank of tehsildar in case of complaints.
“If wrongdoing is detected and not corrected within the prescribed time, appoint an SDM-level administrator to take charge and restore proper functioning,” said the minister.
Many charitable institutions avail income tax benefits by registering as societies. The Act ensures such organisations follow strict compliance and accountability norms to continue receiving such exemptions.
Nod to empanel 300 specialist doctors
The cabinet also gave its nod to empanel 300 specialist doctors across 12 key specialties, including medicine, paediatrics, psychiatry, dermatology, chest & TB, surgery, gynecology, orthopedics, ophthalmology, ENT, and anaesthesiology across government health facilities, with an aim to meet the shortage of specialist doctors. The Punjab government has not been able to attract an adequate number of specialists in recruitments done over the past few years. The empanelment of specialists will be done at district-level through civil surgeons and the empanelled specialist shall be entitled to an empanelment fee per patient for various services such as OPD, IPD, emergency calls, major & minor surgeries and procedures and others.
The Act also mandates that if an elected managing committee is dissolved or an administrator is appointed, fresh elections must be conducted within six months, ensuring democratic functioning of societies.
Finance minister Harpal Cheema said private doctors will get ₹100 incentives both in IPD and OPD. However, a cap has been set on the number of patients these specialists can examine -- between 50 and 150 in the OPD, and two to twenty in the IPD, the minister added. Cheema said if a specialist government doctor, who is on night duty, is called at day time, they will get an incentive of ₹1,000. If the doctor is not on duty during night hours, but is called during the period, then the incentive will double.
Nod to frame minor mineral rules
The cabinet also gave approval to Punjab minor minerals rules 2013 in accordance with the Punjab state minor minerals (Amendment) Policy, 2025. These new rules/ modifications were needed to be added/ substituted in the existing Punjab minor minerals rules 2013 for allocation of mining rights to mining lease holders of crusher mining sites and landowner mining sites to be allotted in the state.
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